Xavier Murphy, media consultant and founder of the premier online media platform jamaicans.com, was honoured by Oliver Mair, the Consul General of Jamaica, as one of the 12 individuals in the southern United States chosen by the Consulate General of Jamaica to receive Diaspora Honours in 2021.
Murphy was presented with the Luminous Award in the Cultural Arts category on November 7, 2021, at a virtual ceremony held on the Facebook page of the Consulate General of Jamaica Miami.
His name, along with those of the other award recipients, will be added to the Roll of Honour for Jamaicans in the southern US.
Consul General Mair congratulated the winners, noting that the honourees provided exceptional service in their respective fields, serving the Jamaican Diaspora community selflessly and without seeking or expecting any recognition.
Speaking of the awardees, Mair said: "Many of the 12 awardees in being recognised have reached out and said Consul General (Mair]) is it possible for this cup to be removed, is it possible that you can give this award to someone else. Because they were not focused on getting anything or any sort of awards. These are the sort of individuals we have in the community who have been serving selflessly, who have been giving of their time, their energies, their passion, their love, their resources.".
Xavier Murphy founded the website in 1995, becoming a pioneer for web-based technology for the Jamaican Diaspora. He notes that the platform has reached more Jamaicans around the world than he ever dreamed of when he launched it more than 26 years ago.
Murphy is very active in his South Florida community and has served in leadership roles for numerous organizations, including as president of the South Florida chapter of the Association of Internet Professionals. He is also the founding member and current president of the Jamaica College Old Boys Association of Florida (JCOBAFL).
In August 2012, he was honoured as Community Luminary for Cultural Arts/ Media and Community Development by the Jamaican Consulate. In November of the same year, he was named one of South Florida’s Most Accomplished Black Community Leaders and Entrepreneurs. Murphy was named Innovator of the Year at the 2016 People Profile Awards in South Florida. He received the 2019 Caribbean American Heritage Award and in June 2021, Murphy was named the Jamaica Diaspora Champion in Media.
In 2020, he and the website were recognised by the City of Lauderhill, a city that boasts one of the largest Caribbean Diaspora populations in the US, for his services to the Diaspora during the COVID-19 outbreak. He received an official letter of recognition to honour his service to the city from Commissioner Denise D. Grant. Murphy was honoured by the City of Miami Gardens in Florida in August of 2021 with the Cultural Icon Outstanding Jamaican American Award for his contributions to the community through Jamaicans.com.
Commenting on the Consulate General Award, Murphy said, “I am humbled by the honor for serving the community. Our great team shares in this award as they play a major role in our success.”
The Consulate General of Jamaica Diaspora Honours ceremony is sponsored by the Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS) and is usually held every year. The formal program had been delayed in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The awards presentation ceremony recognizes Jamaicans in the Diaspora who have made a positive impact on their communities and on Jamaica’s development goals.
The 2021 Luminary Honours were awarded for these several areas below:
Public Service - Andrew Adams of the Jamaica Foundation of Houston (JFH)
Faith and Religious Leadership - Pastor Robert Stewart, Senior Pastor Pentecostal Tabernacle, Miami
Cultural Arts (Media, Entertainment, Culture) - Ms. Audrey Anderson, Board member of the Louise Bennett Coverley Heritage Council (LBCHC) - Xavier Murphy, Media Consultant and Founder of Jamaicans.com
Business Leadership - Patrick Cha Fong, Principal of Kingston Miami Trading
Health Care - Dr Yvonne Smith, Atlanta-Montego Bay Sister Cities Committee
Youth Leadership - Miss Briana Nichole Williams, Jamaican Olympian athlete
Education - Pauline Jolly, PhD. Founder and Past President of Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization
Philanthropy/Social Services - Bruce Palmer, President of Jamaica United Relief Organisation (JURA) - Special Community Honour to Ms. Andrea Dixon, Registered Nurse who is being recognized as an outstanding humanitarian and philanthropist.
Two Community Awards were presented to the Louise Bennett Coverley Heritage Council (LBCHC) for outstanding contribution to Jamaica’s rich cultural heritage in the Diaspora, and to Grace Kennedy (USA) for their contribution as a corporate/community partner.
Jamaicans.com is the leading website for news, travel, recipes, information, and entertainment pertaining to Jamaica. Jamaicans.com is the premier website for all things Jamaican. Visitors to the site will find interviews, features, travel & cultural information, reviews, commentary, traditional Jamaican recipes, and a language guide.
